Packaging machine



June ll, 1968 c. czumaua,l JR

PACKAGING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 25. 1966 INVENTOR- am/fx c. came Jae mi M Arra'f/Eys June 11, 1968 G. c. CURRIE, JR

PACKAGING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 25. 1966 www O mf m y m; M. 6nAW a V .w

June l1, 1968 G. c. CURRIE, JR

PACKAGING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 25, 1966 INVENTORm 4 j WO1/El? Cf CURP/E JF.

57W a TTOPNEKS' June 11, 1968 G. c. CURRIE, JR 3,387,428

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. @R01/EK c WK/E JA? YA/Z fw Arrmgys June 11, 1968 G. c. CURRIE, JR

PACKAGING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheetl 5 Filed Feb. 25. 1966 June 11, 1968 G. c. CURRIE, JR 3,387,428

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25. 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 TUFNEYS I INVENTOR. @R01/EK C' WKK/E JE `)'une 11, 1968 G. c. cuRRlE, JR

PACKAGING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Feb. 25. 1966 INVENTOR. 6K0 C @UFR/E Jl?. BY M P( 4 770/?/YE V5 United States Patent O 3,387,428 PACKAGING MACHINE Grover C. Currie, Ir., Charlotte, NC., assigner to Weyerhaeuser Company, Tacoma, Wash., a corporation of Washington Filed Feb. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 530,050 20 Claims. (Ci. 53-49) This invention relates to a machine for forming a carton blank around articles to be packaged and for locking the ends of the carton together. The invention also relates to Various elements of this machine.

In the packaging of articles in groups, it is not only necessary to provide a package in which the articles are held securely, but also to provide a machine which will allow the articles to be packaged quickly and economically. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which will quickly and economically form an article package. It is another object of this invention to provide mechanisms for folding a carton into place and for locking segments of the carton together in order to provide a secure package.

Other objects will become readily apparent upon a reading of the following specifications in conjunction with the attached drawings. In some of these drawings, only the machine elements necessary for performing an operation are shown.

FIGURES 1A and B are a top plan view of the apparatus, FIGURE 1A showing the infeed section of the machine and FIGURE 1B showing the outfeed section of the machine.

FIGURE 2 is an isometric Iview of the completed article package.

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of the carton blank processed by the present apparatus.

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view of the carton blank and machine showing the first forming operation on the rst end of the blank.

FIGURE 5 is an isometric View of the carton blank and machine showing a second forming operation on the first end of the blank. The articles have been placed on the blank between the operations shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

FIGURE 6 is an isometric View of the carton blank and machine showing a first forming operation on the second end of the blank.

FIGURE 7 is an isometric View of the blank and machine showingT a second forming operation on the second end ofthe carton.

FIGURES 8 and 9 are isometric views showing a third forming operation on the first end of the carton.

FIGURE l() is an isometric View showing another forming operation on the second side of the carton.

FIGURE 11 is a cross sectional view taken along line lll-ii of FIGURE l showing the forming operation of FIGURE l() in conjunction with the forming operation of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE l2 is an isometric View, with portions cut away, showing another folding operation on the carton.

FIGURE 13 is a View, partially in cross section, of the operation shown in FIGURE 12.

FIGURE i4 is a cross sectional view showing the folding operation that follows the operation shown in FIG- URE 13.

FIGURE l is a cross sectional View showing the beginning of the folding operation on the locking tab, and also showing the locking apparatus in partial cross section.

FIGURE 16 is an isometric View of the outer side of the locking apparatus.

FIGURE 17 is an isometric View showing the locking operation.

FIGURE 1S is a cross sectional View of the operation shown in FIGURE 17.

3,387,428 Patented June 11, 1968 ice The carton blank, shown in FIGURE 3, has a bottom panel 20, a pair of side panels 21 and 22, a top panel 23, and a pair of support panels 24 and 25. The support panel 2S includes a supporting tab 26 and an outwardly extending locking tab 27. In the finished package, the supporting tab 26 extends through the supporting aperture 28 in the support panel 24, and the locking tab 27 extends through the locking aperture 29 in the top panel 23. The locking aperture 29 is defined by a pair of tabs 30 and 31 which are hinged to the top panel along line 32 and 33 respectively. The top panel also has a pair of article apertures 34 through which the articles protrude in the package. This is best shown in FIGURE 2.

In forming the package, the panel 24 is bent upwardly at right angles to top panel 23 by the hold-down shoe 40, FIGURE 4, bearing against the upper face of panel 23 along a line adjacent to the score line between the two panels, and the upwardly extending camming surface of guide or plow 4I bearing against the lower face of panel 24. Following this, lthe bottles B are placed on the bottom panel Ztl and then the side panel 2l is bent upwardly against the bottles by the guide or plow 42, and the top panel 23 is bent inwardly by the guide or plow 43;

On the other end of the blank, the panel 25 is bent downwardly with respect to side panel 22 by the panel guide or plow 44 which bears against the panel 25. This action also breaks the supporting tab 26 from the surrounding blank.. Duriug this operation, the panel 22 is held against the machine bed 45 by the hold-down shoe 46. As the carton leaves the guide 44, the side wall 22 contacts first the guide or plow 47 and then the forward edge of side guide 49 which bends the panel upwardly with respect to the bottom panel 20.

Meanwhile, the top panel 23 is bent over the bottles by the folding device 50. The folding device has a pair of rotating shafts 51 which are mounted in suitable bearings 52. An arm 53 is mounted fixedly at one end to the upper end of each of the shafts 51 and is mounted rotatably at its other end to a plate 54. The outer end of the plate carries a curved carton-folding arm S5, a downwardly extending carton-folding arm extension 56, and a downwardly extending `adjustable roller 57. The rotation of the shafts 51 moves the plate 54 and its attached arms in a circular path over the carton.

The arm 56 and roller 57 extend lower than the arm 55 and are inside of the arm S5 so that the top panel 23 is contacted first by the folding arm 55 which bends it inwardly over the bottles, and then by the arm extension 56 and roller S7 which bend it down over the bottles prior to the panels sliding underneath the overhead plow 6l). This plow acts as a hold-down shoe on the panel 23 during the rest of the folding and interlocking process. During this procedure, the side panel 21 is held against the bottles by the side guide 43.

As shown in FIGURE 11, this action causes the support panel 24 to slide downwardly against the inner face of the Vertical guide 6l. At the same time, the side panel 22 is held against the outer face of the guide 61 by the side guide 48. The panel 25 is held in a horizontal position by the horizontal guide 62 attached to the outer face of guide 6I. The tendency of panel 25 to return to the plane of the panel 22 after its release from guide 44 requires a downward camming surface 63 on the infeed end of guide 62. Both guides are attached to the machine by member 64.

After the carton leaves the vertical guide 61, the side guide 48 carries the side wall 22 inwardly against the bottles B. The next step is to position the supporting aperture 28 and the supporting tab 26 so that the tab can be inserted into the aperture. If necessary it is also desirable to open the locking aperture 29 in the same operation.

These operations are the function of the aligning apparatus 70. The apparatus has a rotating plate 71 which carries a number of aligning members 72. The number of members will depend on the relationship of the peripheral speed of the plate 71 and the linear speed of the carton. Each of the aligning members 72 has a body 73 on which are mounted a iiap guide and transport member 74 and a top panel guide and transport member 75. The flap guide and transport member 74 is mounted on the outer peripheral edge of the body 73. The inner edge of the member is placed in alignment with or slightly outwardly of the inner face of side guide 4S so that the member will be in alignment with the ilap 25. The member 74 is positioned so that in its lowermost position its lower face will contact the upper face of flap and hold the flap in a position that is normal to side panel 22. The lower surface of the member 74 also assists in moving the flap 25 through the machine so that the tab 26 is aligned with aperture 28.

The member 75 is on the outer end of body 73 and has a shape that will allow it to protrude through the locking aperture 29 and to act against the forward and outer edges of the aperture in order to align the support aperture 28 with the support tab 26. The member 75 is aided 'by the roller 76 mounted on its outer face which bears against top panel 23 and forces the panel downwardly around the bottles B. This action also forces the support panel 24 downwardly into position. The member 75 is also aided by the lower inner edge 77 of body 73 which acts against the panel 24 and guides it into position against the bottles B. When the edge 77 acts as a guiding member there is a relief portion between member 75 and body 73 as is shown in the drawing.

The member 75 also opens the aperture 29 if the container -has tabs and 31 delining this aperture. This action is helpful in the locking operation. Following this alignment the panel 25 is rotated upwardly and inwardly by the flap guide 78, causing the support tab 26 to be inserted into the support aperture 28.

The carton is now ready for the locking operation. In this operation the locking tab 27 is bent downwardly over the locking aperture 29 by the locking tab guide 79 and the tabs are inserted through the apertures by a locking apparatus 80.

The locking apparatus has a revolving wheel or plate 81 which carries a number of locking mechanisms 82 and a stationary cam 83 which acts upon the cam follower 84 of each of the mechanisms to operate these mechanisms. In each of the mechanisms the cam follower 84 is mounted on a slide 85 which is mounted in and guided by a radial slot 86 in the plate 81. The cam follower 84 is biased against the cam 83 by a spring y87 bearing against both the slide 85 and a stationary memiber 88 mounted on the plate `81. Although a compression spring is shown, a tension spring may also be used. An upwardly extending L-shaped member 89 is attached to the inner face of the slide `85. This member has a pivot pin 90 on its outer end and a rod 91 attached to its upper face. A spring 92 is mounted over the rod and bears against an abutment 93 on the upper end of the rod. The lower end of the spring bears against the upper face of the L-shaped locking blade 94. The inner vertical face of blade 94 has an attaching member 95 which is pivotable on the pin 90. Another pivot pin 96 is mounted on the inner edge of the horizontal member of the locking blade 94. During the locking action pivot pin 96 has a sliding pivotal movement with an abutment 97 mounted on the inner face of wheel 81.

The locking mechanism 82 is shown at rest in FIG- URE 15 and in the middle of the locking action in FIG- URES 17 and 18. During the locking action the cam 83 forces the cam follower outwardly or downwardly, since this action occurs at the lowermost portion of the cycle of the locking mechanism. This action carries the slide 85 and its attached member 89 downwardly. The locking blade 94 moves downwardly with member 89 until pivot pin 96 contacts abutment 97. The pivot pin 96 then slides inwardly along the abutment 97 causing the locking blade 94 to pivot around pin 9d. The blade 94 moves downwardly and inwardly pushing the locking tab 2'7 through the locking aperture 29. Continued rotary movement of the plate 3l allows the compression spring `87 to force the slide and the cam follower 84 inwardly against the cam surface, moving the locking blade 94 upwardly. This upward movement allows the spring 92 to pivot the locking blade 94 around the pin 99 until it is again in the position shown in FIGURE l5. Further inward movement of the slide carries the pivot pin 96 upwardly above the abutment 97.

The various elements of the machine may be suitably positioned on a conveying apparatus such as that shown in FIGURES 1A and 1B. In this apparatus the carton blanks are taken from a magazine lili? and placed on a conveyor 181 by a suitable transfer assembly 102. The conveyor 101 has abutments 163 which bear against the trailing edge of the carton and the articles on the carton to positively drive the carton and its associated articles through the forming and locking process. During the initial forming operations the top panel 23 may be carried through the apparatus by an auxiliary conveyor 104 having abutments 105 which bear against the trailing edge of the top panel to carry it through the apparatus in alignment with the base panel 26. The bottles are placed on the bottom panel 20 by the revolving turntables 106 and the guides 107.

All of the moving elements of the apparatus including the folding device 513, the aligning apparatus '70, the locking apparatus 88 and the conveyors 101 and 164 are driven by the motor 108 through the driveshaft 169 and suitable power take-offs from the drive shaft. These elements are synchronized with the speed of the conveyor in order to process the carton properly.

While specific details of a preferred embodiment have been shown, it is readily apparent that changes and modiications may be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the attached claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for forming a carton blank into a package containing articles, said blank having a bottom panel located centrally of said blank, a rst panel on one end of said blank, a second panel between said first panel and said bottom panel, a third panel between said first panel and said second panel, a fourth panel on the other end of said blank, and a iifth panel between said fourth panel and said bottom panel, said rst panel having a supporting aperture therein and said fourth panel having a supporting tab extending inwardly towards said bottom panel from the inward side of said fourth panel, said fourth panel having a locking tab outwardly of said supporting tab and said third panel of said blank having a locking aperture, said machine comprising a conveyor, said conveyor having an infeed end and an outfeed end downstream of said infeed end; means over said infeed end of said conveyor for placing a carton blank on said conveyor;

means located adjacent said conveyor and downstream of said first means for placing articles on said bottom anel;

lirsii forming means adjacent said conveyor and downstream of said first means for folding said first panel upwardly;

second forming means adjacent said conveyor and downstream of said rst forming means for folding said second panel upwardly;

lirst holding means adjacent said conveyor and downstream of said second forming means for holding said second panel in an upright position with respect to said bottom panel;

third forming means adjacent said conveyor and downstream of said second forming means, said third forming means being movable transversely of said conveyor for bending said third panel downwardly;

second holding means over said conveyor and located downstream of said third forming means for holding said third panel in position over said conveyor and said articles;

fourth forming means adjacent said conveyor on the side of said conveyor opposite said lirst forming means and substantially in alignment with said first and second forming means for folding said fourth panel downwardly;

fifth forming means on said conveyor opposite side and downstream of said fourth forming means for 'ben-ding said fifth panel upwardly;

a vertical guide on said conveyor opposite side and downstream of said fifth forming means and in alignment with said third forming means for guiding said first panel downwardly toward the contained articles and simultaneously holding said fth panel outwardly from said articles;

a horizontal guide in alignment with and outwardly of said vertical guide for holding said fourth panel in a substantially horizontal position;

third holding means on said conveyor opposite side for holding said fifth panel against said articles;

means for aligning said supporting tab and supporting aperture, said aligning means being located downstream of said vertical guide, said aligning means having associated therewith means for holding said fourth panel in a horizontal position and means for holding said third panel downwardly against said articles;

sixth forming means adjacent and downstream of said aligning means for folding said fourth panel upwardly into contact with said first panel and said supporting tab through said supporting aperture;

means adjacent said conveyor and downstream of said sixth forming means for forcing said locking tab Ithrough sa-id locking aperture.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which there is a seventh forming means between said sixth forming means and said locking means, said seventh forming means folding said locking tab downwardly over said locking aperture.

3. ln the apparatus of claim 1, said third forming member comprising a pair of rotating shafts,

each of said shafts having an arm iixedly mounted to its upper end, said arms having the same positional relationship to said shafts,

a member pivotally mounted to the outer end of each of said arms, said member extending in a plane that is parallel to the plane of said conveyor bed,

said member having an inner edge opposite said pivotal mounting, said inner edge being arcuate in shape,

an arm extending downwardly from said member, said arm being between said arcuate edge and said pivotal mounting.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which there is a second arm extending downwardly from said member, said second arm being between said arcuate edge and said pivotal mounting and being upstream of said first arm.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said second arm has a -roller on its lower end.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said member is a plate and said arcuate edge is formed by an arcuate arm extending outwardly from said plate and said downwardly extending arm extends downwardly between said plato and said arcuate arm.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which a second arm extends downwardly between said plate and said arcuate arm, said second arm being upstream of said first arm.

3. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said second arm has a roller on its lower end.

CII

9. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said aligning means comprises a rotatable wheel, said wheel having an inner face that is parallel to the path of travel of said conveyor,

a body on the periphery of the inner face of said wheel,

the outer side of said body being, in its lowermost position, slightly above said third holding member in a vertical direction and slightly outwardly of the inner edge of said third holding member in a horizontal direction, said body having .an inner end located inwardly of the inner face of said third holding member,

a head mounted on said inner end of said body,

a relief section between the lower section of said head and the lower edge of said inner end of said body.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which said head has an inner face and a roller is attached to said inner face.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said locking means comprises a rotatable wheel, said wheel having an inner face that is parallel to the path of travel of said conveyor,

a stationary cam on the axis of said rotatable wheel,

a radial slot in said wheel,

a member slidably mounted in said slot,

a cam follower on said member,

a spring, extending between said member and said wheel, biasing said cam follower against said cam,

a stationary arm on Said member, said arm extending inwardly of said inner wheel face,

a pivot pin on the inner end of said stationary arm,

an L-shaped locking blade pivotally mounted on said pivot, said blade having an aperture in its upper face,

a rod extending upwardly from said stationary arm and through said aperture in said locking blade,

an abutment on the upper end of said Iod,

a spring mounted over said rod and bearing against said abutment and the upper face of said locking blade,

a sliding pivot on the inner edge of said locking blade, said pivot extending beyond one side of said blade,

an abutment on the inner face of said wheel and located radially outwardly from the extending end of said latter pivot.

12. In a machine for folding a carton blank around a group of articles and locking the ends of said blank together, said machine having a conveyor, the improvement comprising a device for folding the top panel down over the articles comprising a pair of rotating shafts,

each of said shafts having an arm iixedly mounted to its upper end, said arms having the sanne positional relationship to said shafts,

a member pivotally mounted to the outer end of cach of said arms, said member being in a plane that is parallel to the bed of said conveyor,

said member having an edge opposite its pivotal mounting, said edge being arcuate,

an arm extending downwardly from said member and being positioned between said arcuate edge and said pivotal mounting.

13. The improvement of claim 12 further comprising a second arm extending downwardly from said member and being positioned between said arcuate edge and said pivoting mounting,

said member having leading and trailing edges extending between said mounting edge and said arcuate edge, said first arm being adjacent said leading edge and said second arm being adjacent said trailing edge.

14. The improvement of claim 13 further comprising a roller mounted on the lower end of said second arm.

15. The improvement of claim 12 in which said member is a plate and said arcuate edge is formed by an arcuate arm mounted on the inner edge of said plate,

and said arm extends downwardly of said plate between the inner edge of said plate and said arcuate arm.

16. The improvement of claim 15 further comprising a second arm extending downwardly between the inner edge of said plate and said arcuate arm, said plate having a leading edge and a trailing edge extending between said mounting edge and the inner edge of said plate, said first arm being adjacent said leading edge and said second arm being adjacent said trailing edge. 17. The improvement of claim 16 further comprising a roller mounted on the lower end of said second arm. I8. In an apparatus for forming a carton blank around a group of articles, and locking the end of said blank together, said apparatus having a conveyor, the improvement comprising means for aligning an aperture in one end of said carton blank with a tab to be inserted through the aperture in the other end of said carton blank, said means comprising a rotatable wheel having an inner face so that it is parallel to the path of travel of the conveyor, a body located on the periphery of said wheel, a guide member located beneath said body adjacent said conveyor, the lower edge of said body being slightly above said guide member in the vertical direction and slightly outwardly of the inner face of said guide member in the horizontal direction, said body having an inner end that is mounted inwardly of the inner face of said guide member, a head mounted on the inner end of said body, a relief section between the lower section of said head and the lower edge of the inner end of said body. 19. The improvement of claim 18 in which said head has an inner face, and

a roller is mounted on said inner face. 20. In an apparatus for forming a carton blank around a group of articles and locking the ends of the carton blank together by inserting a locking tab through a locking aperture, said apparatus having a conveyor, the improvement comprising a locking member comprising,

a rotatable Wheel having an inner face that is parallel to the path of travel of the conveyor of said apparatus,

a stationary cam on the axis of said rotatable wheel,

a radial slot in said wheel,

a member siidably mounted in said slot,

a cam follower on said member,

a spring, extending between said member and said wheel, biasing said cam follower against said cam,

a stationary arm on said member extending inwardly of said inner wheel face,

a pivot pin on the inner end of said stationary arm,

an L-shaped locking blade pivotally mounted on said pivot, said blade having an aperture in its upper face,

a rod extending upwardly from said stationary arm through said aperture in said blade,

an abutment on the upper end of said rod,

a spring mounted over said rod and bearing against said abutment and the upper face of said locking blade,

a sliding pivot mounted on the inner edge of said locking blade, said pivot extending outwardly from one side of said blade,

an abutment on the inner face of said wheel and located radially outwardly from the extending end of said latter pivot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,032,945 5/1962 Currie et al. 53-48 3,083,510 4/1963 Ganz 53-48 FOREIGN PATENTS 299,846 IG/ 1963 Netherlands.

WILLiAM VJ. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

N. ABRAMS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR FORMING A CARTON BLANK INTO A PACKAGE CONTAINING ARTICLES, SAID BLANK HAVING A BOTTOM PANEL LOCATED CENTRALLY OF SAID BLANK, A FIRST PANEL ON ONE END OF SAID BLANK, A SECOND PANEL BETWEEN SAID FIRST PANEL AND SAID BOTTOM PANEL, A THIRD PANEL BETWEEN SAID FIRST PANEL AND SAID SECOND PANEL, A FOURTH PANEL ON THE OTHER END OF SAID BLANK, AND A FIFTH PANEL BETWEEN SAID FOURTH PANEL AND SAID BOTTOM PANEL, SAID FIRST PANEL HAVING A SUPPORTING APERTURE THEREIN AND SAID FOURTH PANEL HAVING A SUPPORTING TAB EXTENDING INWARDLY TOWARDS SAID BOTTOM PANEL FROM THE INWARD SIDE OF SAID FOURTH PANEL, SAID FOURTH PANEL HAVING A LOCKING TAB OUTWARDLY OF SAID SUPPORTING TAB AND SAID THIRD PANEL OF SAID BLANK HAVING A LOCKING APERTURE, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING A CONVEYOR, SAID CONVEYOR HAVING AN INFEED END AND AN OUTFEED END DOWNSTREAM OF SAID INFEED END; MEANS OVER SAID INFEED END OF SAID CONVEYOR FOR PLACING A CARTON BLANK ON SAID CONVEYOR; MEANS LOCATED ADJACENT SAID CONVEYOR AND DOWNSTREAM OF SAID FIRST MEANS FOR PLACING ARTICLES ON SAID BOTTOM PANEL; FIRST FORMING MEANS ADJACENT SAID CONVEYOR AND DOWNSTREAM OF SAID FIRST MEANS FOR FOLDING SAID FIRST PANEL UPWARDLY; SECOND FORMING MEANS ADJACENT SAID CONVEYOR AND DOWNSTREAM OF SAID FIRST FORMING MEANS FOR FOLDING SAID SECOND PANEL UPWARDLY; FIRST HOLDING MEANS ADJACENT SAID CONVEYOR AND DOWNSTREAM OF SAID SECOND FORMING MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID SECOND PANEL IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID BOTTOM PANEL; THIRD FORMING MEANS ADJACENT SAID CONVEYOR AND DOWNSTREAM OF SAID SECOND FORMING MEANS, SAID THIRD FORMING MEANS BEING MOVABLE TRANSVERSELY OF SAID CONVEYOR FOR BENDING SAID THIRD PANEL DOWNWARDLY; SECOND HOLDING MEANS OVER SAID CONVEYOR AND LOCATED DOWNSTREAM OF SAID THIRD FORMING MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID THIRD PANEL IN POSITION OVER SAID CONVEYOR AND SAID ARTICLES; FOURTH FORMING MEANS ADJACENT SAID CONVEYOR ON THE SIDE OF SAID CONVEYOR OPPOSITE SAID FIRST FORMING MEANS AND SUBSTANTIALLY IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND FORMING MEANS FOR FOLDING SAID FOURTH PANEL DOWNWARDLY; FIFTH FORMING MEANS ON SAID CONVEYOR OPPOSITE SIDE AND DOWNSTREAM OF SAID FOURTH FORMING MEANS FOR BENDING SAID FIFTH PANEL UPWARDLY; A VERTICAL GUIDE ON SAID CONVEYOR OPPOSITE SIDE AND DOWNSTREAM OF SAID FIFTH FORMING MEANS AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID THIRD FORMING MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID FIRST PANEL DOWNWARDLY TOWARD THE CONTAINED ARTICLES AND SIMULTANEOUSLY HOLDING SAID FIFTH PANEL OUTWARDLY FROM SAID ARTICLES; A HORIZONTAL GUIDE IN ALIGNMENT WITH AND OUTWARDLY OF SAID VERTICAL GUIDE FOR HOLDING SAID FOURTH PANEL IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION; THIRD HOLDING MEANS ON SAID CONVEYOR OPPOSITE SIDE FOR HOLDING SAID FIFTH PANEL AGAINST SAID ARTICLES; MEANS FOR ALIGNING SAID SUPPORTING TAB AND SUPPORTING APERTURE, SAID ALIGNING MEANS BEING LOCATED DOWNSTREAM OF SAID VERTICAL GUIDE, SAID ALIGNING MEANS HAVING ASSOCIATED THEREWITH MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID FOURTH PANEL IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION AND MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID THIRD PANEL DOWNWARDLY AGAINST SAID ARTICLES; SIXTH FORMING MEANS ADJACENT AND DOWNSTREAM OF SAID ALIGNING MEANS FOR FOLDING SAID FOURTH PANEL UPWARDLY INTO CONTACT WITH SAID FIRST PANEL AND SAID SUPPORTING TAB THROUGH SAID SUPPORTING APERTURE; MEANS ADJACENT SAID CONVEYOR AND DOWNSTREAM OF SAID SIXTH FORMING MEANS FOR FORCING SAID LOCKING TAB THROUGH SAID LOCKING APERTURE. 